Santana's Maria Maria plans fall debut in SR

The restaurant, named Maria Maria, was originally scheduled to open last June. The current target is fall, after sister establishments open doors in Tempe, Ariz., and Mill Valley, said Andriana Majarian, spokeswoman for Walnut Creek restaurant developer Dudum Sports & Entertainment.

"It's kind of a moving date, but we are looking at the October-November time frame," she said. "There were some optimistic dates early on."

The project comes at a particularly tough time for the restaurant industry. Sales nationally have been down three consecutive months, foot traffic has declined five straight months, and capital spending is at its lowest level ever, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Restaurants have been hit by the greatest run-up in food and beverage prices in more than two decades. Consumers are spending less on eating out because of soaring gasoline prices and a slumping economy, said Ted Burke, who serves on the association's board and has owned a Capitola restaurant for 30 years.

"It probably is tougher than other times," Burke said. "Before you go to a white tablecloth dinner house, you're going to pay your utility bill and gasoline costs first."

Maria Maria's delay is caused by the developer's other projects, Majarian said. Dudum Sports & Entertainment opened the first Maria Maria in Walnut Creek in November. It plans to open the two sister establishments this year, as well as a Bing Crosby's -- named after the legendary crooner -- in San Diego in August.

In the meantime, Dudum Sports & Entertainment continues to operate The Cantina restaurant on Santa Rosa's courthouse square.

"The building is pretty good. We're just going to update the bar area, and the furniture will change out and we will do some kitchen upgrades," Majarian said.

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant opened in 1992 in a two-story brick building on Old Courthouse Square.

Santana, the legendary rock guitarist, partnered with Dudum Sports & Entertainment to purchase the Cantina and two sister restaurants in February 2007.

All will be named for Santana's 2000 Grammy-winning song, "Maria Maria," and feature regional dishes from across Mexico.

Dudum Sports & Entertainment also owns: McCovey's, in honor of Giants Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, and Bing Crosby's Restaurant and Piano Lounge, in Walnut Creek and Rancho Mirage; and Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse, named after the Yankee slugger, in San Francisco and Austin, Texas.

The expansion has continued despite the industry's recent slump and an uncertain outlook.

In addition to downward trends in sales and traffic, restaurant operators' expectations are down for the next six months, largely because of the weak economy, according to the national association's latest performance index.

"You've got to kind of hang onto your knickers and have some patience because I don't think it's going to end anytime quick," Burke said.

You can reach Staff Writer Michael Coit at 521-5470 or mike.coit@pressdemocrat.com.